The internships will pay at least minimum wage at its academies in London, Munich, Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona or Prague. Wayra said the internships would range from operations to joining the team of a supported start-up.

Simon Devonshire, director of Wayra Europe said: 'We are witnessing the birth of a new economy – the digital economy – which I believe is more significant than the birth of the industrial revolution. The partnership with Wayra and Enternships provides students with a real opportunity to get personally involved in this revolution and gain invaluable experience in working with the pioneers of this new age.'

The move follows Telefónica's pledge to teach digital literacy to 50,000 students as part of its Think Big programme.